Zinedine Zidane has revealed that it was Martin Odegaard’s idea to join Arsenal for the rest of this season.
The Norwegian moved to the Emirates in the last transfer window as he sought more playing time.
He had been one of the stars in La Liga last season, and his performances while on loan at Real Sociedad forced Los Blancos to recall him.
He started the club’s first few games before falling down the pecking order.
Even though he wasn’t used frequently, he was in Zidane’s first-team plans and the French manager wanted him to remain with them at the Bernabeu.
However, the midfielder didn’t want to spend the last six months of this season on the sidelines and asked for a move.
Zidane assured him that there are many more games to play if he stayed, but he insisted that he would rather move to Arsenal, according to the Madrid manager.
‘Odegaard wanted to go, he wanted to play,’ the iconic Madrid head coach told reporters via the Metro.
‘I wanted him back from his loan [with Real Sociedad] and I told him to stay because the season is still very long and he would have had his chances but he wanted to leave and play.
‘We talked about it two or three times. It was a demand from him.’
Zidane added: ‘I told him that he should stay to fight for his place.
‘I was the one who wanted him here, but he wanted to go.’
Odegaard looks a good player, shame about our coach. I think it’s time to get out of denial. Mikel Arteta is not up to the job. He is a trainee, an apprentice, and it’s not right for him to try to learn on the job…..and players he has sent away are really performing at other clubs. I appreciate some of you rated him. I did at first, but talk is easy, walk is not. Arteta is talk…not walk. I struggle to see what he brings to our football in over a year. We have not moved on an iota. He just cannot motivate.
To think that Wenger suggested Ancellotti as his successor, and these people that call themselves management didn’t go for him. That’s crass.
Arteta must go and take Edu with him.
Those few wins in January cant paper over the huge crevice that Arteta is out of his depth.
Wenger was right at the time and I also wanted Ancellotti.
Hopefully in the case of Odegaard, if Arteta gives him the opportunities to play and he performs to his obvious potential, then he may request a transfer to stay at Arsenal, rather than returning to Zidane and Real Madrid.
Being Norwegian Odegaard should find cultural assimilation in London, easier than Madrid. If his family enjoys the shopping, hopefully he decides to stay.
OG- I thought Matt Ryan looked very competent yesterday and would be a good choice to sign next season if he is happy playing No2 to Leno.
It will be difficult to keep this guy beyond this season. from what i saw today he is afine player, no wqay RMD letting him stay beyond this season. so lets not over-rely on him